Trust in the future for sport and culture

Posted By: Dale Mulgrew
Date Posted: 20/03/2007

I thought, for a refreshing change, I would steer away from politics, well, not wholly true, to the relief, I am sure, of all those fiendish political animals who crave their dosage of local politicking, because for those of you unaware a new era starts for the Borough’s culture and sporting facilities in a couple of weeks.

And here’s something a little different for councillor diaries, positivism will reign throughout because I am unequivocal in my backing and abundantly enthusiastic about the prospects of this new culture and leisure trust which goes live on April 1st next month under the title of ‘Link4life’.

What will be the role of this new trust?

It will manage all of the council’s leisure centres and its award winning museum, ensure the continuation of the excellent programme of sports development that they currently deliver, oversee the creative industries which the council funds through its culture department; and most importantly deliver a programme of facility replacement and renewal that is essential for the trust to flourish, such as a new central leisure centre in the town centre.

Why was it created?

Over the last couple of years the council has endeavoured across the political divide to recognise that this service has not perhaps had the funding and resources it should and could have been allocated, always finding itself on the periphery. In response the ‘trust’ business model, which is successful in many other authorities, was approved so that this service can have a degree of autonomy and operate on a better commercial footing and have access to borrowing opportunities through local governmental approved mechanisms.

The not for profit trust will be a registered charity and its governance through a board of trustees whose aim is to be truly representative of the community the trust will serve.

I am confident the trust will succeed because it has received an injection of fresh talent, which combined with the present compliment of managerial staff, together form a highly skilled and experienced team. This blend of local based knowledge and new expertise is no better demonstrated than by the trust’s very able managing director - Craig McAteer who was appointed to lead the setting up of the trust. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge gained from his previous work creating charity trusts vis a vis his role with Northamptonshire county council.

We shall see a new and energised future for culture and sport in the Borough and I invite you to share in making this trust a success through using one of our sporting facilities or making another visit to Touchstones, which continues to be an exemplar in national standards.